Hydro Sonic: The Lost SatAM Episode
by Kahunalilly
Summary: When the Great River disappears, the Freedom Fighters find out that Robotnik has built a hydroelectric plant to power his most sinister creation yet, a Megaboticizer. Sonic, Sally, Rotor, and Bunnie go on a mission to Robotropolis to stop his evil plans. Written to be a plausible SatAM episode based on the hint of a story the show's opening sequence.
1. Act 1

_If you're a SatAM fan like me, you'd probably give anything for just one more episode. It wouldn't even have to be the mysterious third season! Just one more good ol' Sonic-Sally-and-the-gang-having-wacky-adventures-and-fighting-Robuttnik episode._

 _WELL, a few years ago, I noticed that there's kind of a story in the SatAM opening sequence itself. Look it up on Youtube, sing along to "Fastest Thing Alive," and about 16 seconds in, watch it very closely. Preferably in HD. Watch it again, and again, and you'll see it, too. I have watched the intro hundreds of times while writing this, and there are all sorts of cohesive little details I had missed for years. I couldn't get this "lost episode" idea out of my head, and now, it's finally finished!_

 _I tried very, very hard to make everything - the plot, the tone, the dialogue, the tropes, and even the cartoony non sequiturs - as true to SatAM as possible. It even has commercial breaks! My goal was to end up with a plausible episode, so to help you picture the show, there are a lot of visual cues within the prose._

 _So, fellow SatAM fans, this is for you! I hope you like it. After setting up the story, things will start getting really familiar at the end of Act 2. :)_

* * *

© Kahunalilly 2015

* * *

 **ACT 1**

The sun glittered on the Great River as Sonic the Hedgehog and Miles "Tails" Prower relaxed on Knothole's bridge. The former shredded a fast-paced solo on a red electric guitar while the latter sat on the edge, clasping a fishing pole and swinging his feet as idly as the red and white bobber undulating on the surface.

Sonic leapt onto the railing, his fingers flashing as he ended with a power chord. "That was awesome, Sonic!" Tails exclaimed.

"Thanks, Big Guy!" the blue hedgehog replied. He peered into the sparkling water. "Any bites?"

"Nothing yet..." The fox squinted at the bobber. As if he had willed a fish to take the bait, it suddenly disappeared. "Hang on! I think I got somethin'!"

"Reel in that ol' fishstick!" Sonic encouraged. Tails gritted his teeth and reeled as fast as he could. With a final grunt, a silvery fish burst out of the water.

"I caught one!" he chimed.

"Past cool fishing, buddy!" Sonic admired, beaming.

As Tails reeled the fish up to the bridge, the babbling of the Great River began to quiet. "Huh?" Sonic's head whirled toward the change. The water level was mysteriously falling, and fast.

"What's happening to the river, Sonic?" The boy's eyes were large with alarm.

The flow slowed to a trickle then stopped altogether. Fish that had previously hidden in the river's depths now flopped on the muddy bottom.

Sonic furrowed his brow. "I don't know, Tails, but I don't like it one bit. Let's juice back to Knothole and tell Sal."

* * *

" - And the next second, the river just stopped!" Sonic finished recounting to Sally, Bunnie, Rotor, and Antoine in Sally's hut.

"It's true!" Tails piped up since Antoine looked skeptical. "All the fish besides the one I caught were flopping on the ground!"

"That _is_ strange…" Sally pondered.

"I'd bet a Power Ring that Robotnik has something to do with it," spat Sonic.

"But why would Robotneek be stopping ze water?" Antoine shrugged.

Sally turned to her computer. "Hmm, Nicole intercepted a recent transmission from Robotnik that mentioned hydroelectric power…"

Sonic scratched his head. "Hydro-what?"

"It's electricity created from the power of flowing water," Sally explained patiently, "but she couldn't decrypt the whole message."

"If Robotnik is stealing the Great River to generate power," Rotor ventured, "he could be working on something _big_."

"Big and nasty," added Bunnie, her voice dark.

"Sounds like we need to go to Robotown for some serious recon," said Sonic, smacking a fist into his other hand.

"Agreed," said Sally. "The sooner the better."

"Never fear, mah prinzess," Antoine interjected. "I shall be going on ze mission to save you!"

"From what?" Sonic demanded. "We don't even know what Robuttnik's up to."

"Why, from a _terr-EE-ble_ thirst!" Antoine seized Sally's hand and kissed it repeatedly.

"Yuck," said a disgusted Tails. Sonic rolled his eyes.

"Fine, Antoine," Sally relented, pulling her hand away. "You can go with Sonic." Sonic's jaw dropped as Antoine's chest puffed. "And Sonic, I'll let you pick a third member of the reconnaissance team. Rotor and I will try to learn more about what Robotnik might be scheming."

"Can I go, Sonic?" Tails begged.

"Sorry, Big Guy. This mission could be mondo dangerous."

"Oh," the boy's face fell then brightened. "How about Red? He's way past cool, and a fox like me!"

"Great idea!" Sonic grinned. "We'll need all the coolness we can get to make up for An- _twerp_."

* * *

From his command tower, Robotnik shrewdly watched monitors showing SWATbots working on a gigantic concrete structure spanning a river. His robotic pet, Cluck, perched on the armrest of his mechanized chair.

"When will the hydroelectric plant be at full output, Snively?" the evil doctor demanded.

Donning headphones and typing at a control panel, Snively drawled his reply. "With the new dam harnessing the Great River, the plant will reach 20,000 megawatts in less than two hours, sir."

"Excellent! The river is the perfect source of both power and coolant for my new Megaboticizer." He gave a sinister chuckle. "Isn't killing two birds with one stone poetic?" Cluck uttered a mechanical cluck. "No offense," Robotnik crooned, reaching out to stroke the chicken's head. "With my wondrous machine, I will soon command an army of colossal, mindless robots to crush the miserable Freedom Fighters!"

Snively joined the wicked mirth. "Perhaps we'll have the chance to test it on a dratted beast soon."

"Oh, I very much hope so, Snively." Robotnik heaved a grotesquely anticipatory sigh and squeezed a black-gloved fist. "I very much hope so, indeed."

* * *

Sonic, Red, and Antoine made their way up the waterless river along its bank. Mile after mile, they passed multitudes of stranded fish. "Why am I getting ze bad feeling about zis?" whimpered Antoine.

"'Cause it stinks like Buttnik," Sonic groaned. He sniffed, then wrinkled his nose. "Smells like we're getting close to Robotown."

Red, a tall, stalwart-looking fox, perked up his ears. "Sounds like it, too. Do you hear that?"

Sure enough, along with the strengthening stench of Robotnik's capital, the sound grew louder as the three continued upstream. It wasn't long before they reached the outskirts of the city. They rounded a bend and spied a giant, sinister structure that completely blocked the river. Dozens of SWATbots prowled around it.

"That's definitely where that noise is coming from," Red confirmed.

"It's gotta be the hydro-thing Sal was talking about," said Sonic. "Too bad Buttnik's taste for ugly design hasn't changed…"

Antoine shuddered. "Perhaps it is meaning zat Robotneek does have ze big plans…"

Red's face was set. "There's only one way to be sure."

"You are wanting to go in z-zat horrible p-place?!" stammered Antoine. "With all z-z-zose SWATbots?"

"Cram it, Ant!" Sonic snapped. "You volunteered for this mission to save Sally, remember?" Antoine gulped, and Sonic eyed the building. "C'mon, maybe there's an entrance on the other side. Juice time!"

After the coyote and the fox both took ahold of his arm, the hedgehog tore off across the drying river bottom.

* * *

"Sir, the piping to route river water from the plant to the Megaboticizer is complete," Snively reported from the control panel, "as well as the water storage and lock system."

"Very good, Snively." Robotnik steepled his fingers. On the monitors, he gazed at a view of an ominous contraption with a glass tube so enormous that it dwarfed the nearby SWATbots. "And what is the status of the plant's output?"

"Almost 100 percent, sir!" the sycophant intoned. "In fact, the Megaboticizer is fully operational as of right… now!"

"Marvelous!" Robotnik hissed. "The time is so close, I can taste it…"

The screen changed to a wide-angle, exterior view of the hydroelectric plant, and in the corner he caught some movement. "Well, well, well. What have we here?" From his armrest, Cluck clucked.

Snively tapped some keys on the control panel to zoom in, and before Robotnik's eyes appeared the one he loved to hate. "It seems some trouble makers have arrived right on cue, sir," Snively sneered, "including Sonic Hedgehog,"

A nefarious smile spread across the villain's face. "How kind of the rodent to grace this occasion with his presence," he chuckled. "I believe we should treat our guest of honor to the very first tour, followed by his dear friends, don't you agree?"

"Absolutely, sir," Snively assented, smirking. He commanded into his headset, "All Sector 20 SWATbot units, seize the hedgehog and Freedom Fighters!"

* * *

Sonic, Antoine, and Red crouched behind a scrap heap. On this side of the hydroelectric plant, there were only two SWATbots guarding a single door.

"Now this is _too_ easy," Sonic complained. He dashed in between them. "Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?" he inquired loftily. The SWATbots turned their laser guns toward him. Sonic leapt up high right before they blasted one another, somersaulted in the air, and landed nimbly. "I prefer chili on my dogs, anyway," he quipped, exultant as the robots sizzled. "Coast is clear, guys!"

Antoine and Red ran to join him, and the three entered the building. They found themselves in a room of soaring height with a long row of huge, rumbling generators. Beyond a guardrail, an incredible volume of white water churned below.

" _Sacrebleu_!" Antoine cried.

"There's the Great River!" Red barked over the din.

"And those must be the generators," Sonic scowled. "Rotor was right; Buttnik _is_ making power by stealing our river!"

A bewildered Antoine wondered, "But 'ow are we to be getting it back?"

All of a sudden, metallic voices rang out, "HEDGEHOG, PRIORITY ONE." The trio spun and gasped when they saw a swarm of SWATbots clanking toward them.


	2. Act 2

**ACT 2**

"HEDGEHOG, PRIORITY ONE," droned the charging unit of SWATbots.

"Zey 'ave spotted us!" squealed Antoine, stumbling backwards in terror. He bumped into the guardrail, and with waving arms and a warbling yell, he tumbled over then hit the water with a splash.

"Aw, man!" Sonic shouted and sped to the rail. "ANT!"

The coyote flailed in the turbulent water. "Sonic! Help!" he sputtered before disappearing.

Red crouched in a defensive stance. "You save him, Sonic! I'll hold them off!" He vaulted toward the first oncoming SWATbot with a ferocious kick.

Sonic glanced wide-eyed at Red and the onslaught, then decided. "I'm comin', Ant!" He swan-dove into the water and attempted to find Antoine but surfaced empty handed.

Antoine emerged farther away, pulled by the current. "Sonic!" he gurgled again. Sonic quickly swam over to the helpless coyote, grabbed him, and paddled to the edge. He zoomed out of the water, up the wall, and over the guardrail. Antoine was set on his soggy feet but collapsed coughing. Sonic whirled just in time to witness the SWATbots overwhelm Red.

"RED!" he bellowed.

"Sonic, get out of here!" grunted the fox, writhing against the two robots carrying him off. The remaining ones turned to close in on Sonic and Antoine.

Gritting his teeth, Sonic seized Antoine again and bolted through the side door with a bang of speed.

* * *

They landed in the pile of hay at the base of the slide to Knothole. As Sonic brushed himself off, Sally, Bunnie, and Tails rushed in, clearly anxious.

"You boys alraht?" Bunnie inquired with concern, looking from Antoine shivering to Sonic fuming.

Troubled, Tails gazed toward the slide. "Where's… where's Red?"

"They captured him." Sonic kicked at the hay. "SWAT-butts surrounded us at the hydro plant, and An- _twerp_ fell in the water."

Antoine sneezed with a mighty "aCHOO!"

Sonic hung his head. "I - I couldn't save them both."

"Oh no… If they have Red…" Sally covered her mouth in horror. "Then there's no time to lose. Nicole decrypted the rest of Robotnik's transmission." She started pulling Sonic toward the village. "It's terrible!"

* * *

The tyrant's voice floated airily from behind his command chair. "Snively, how soon before the _rodent_ is my first Megabot?"

Snively gulped and answered meekly, "He has, er, well he, that is… he escaped, s-sir."

"WHAT?!" Robotnik revolved to stare down his nephew, who squeaked in fear. "Did I or did I not specify sending _all three_ of them to the Megaboticizer? Especially that loathsome blue pincushion?"

"You d-did, s-sir! And the SWATbots _did_ c-capture one of the Freedom Fighters! They've brought him here for you now!"

The evil doctor growled, but excitement soon overcame his wrath. "That's something, I suppose…" He beckoned with his robotic arm. "Send in the chap."

A huge door at the back of the villain's lair rolled up, and in marched a unit of SWATbots towing Red the Fox in shackles.

"There's the lucky lad!" Robotnik greeted, his tone dripping with false amity. "You're no _rodent_ , it pains me to say, but you'll do just fine."

Red still struggled against his captors. "What are you raving about, _Robotnik_?"

"Oho, I like the fight in you, my friend."

"I'm no friend of yours!" Red snarled.

"Not _yet_ , lad." Robotnik corrected with a sickening smirk. "Soon enough, though, you'll be my _biggest_ fan." He snickered malevolently then commanded, "Send him to the Megaboticizer!"

The brave fox set his jaw as the SWATbots carried him away.

* * *

Everyone gathered inside Sally Hut, where Rotor was working at the computer. "What terrible thing is Buttnik up to now?" Sonic implored.

"We couldn't believe Nicole's decryption at first," explained Sally, her voice tense, "but there's no doubt now. Robotnik has built a _Megaboticizer_!"

Sonic tapped his foot. "Meaning…?"

"It's like a Roboticizer, only its victims get super-sized!" exclaimed Rotor, gesticulating widely. "He wants to make an army of Megabots!"

"That's why he blocked the Great River and built the plant," Sally added. "A Roboticizer on that scale would need a vast supply of power and coolant."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Sonic blurted. "We gotta save Red and trash it, pronto!"

"We have a plan," Sally assured. "I downloaded schematics of the hydroelectric plant and Megaboticizer complex. Bunnie?"

"Ah'm all ears, Sally-girl!" the partially Roboticized rabbit answered.

"We'll need your help to get in."

"Y'all can count on me!"

"And if my code is correct, we can fry the sucker with this," Rotor said, holding up a cartridge of a dusty pink color. "It'll override the lock system holding the Great River!"

"When the water hits the electronic core," Sally said, allowing a hint of a conspiratorial smile, "the Megaboticizer will be history!"

"Alright!" Sonic pumped his fist. "Now all we need is a Power Ring."

"I already got you one, Sonic!" Tails said brightly, holding up a green backpack. "One came up from the pool a little while ago."

"Way to go, Big Guy!" Sonic praised.

"Aunt Sally, the rope you asked for is in there, too," the boy continued proudly as he handed it to the princess.

Sonic placed a hand on the young fox's shoulder. "Take care of Knothole while we're gone, okay?" He faced Sally, Rotor, and Bunnie. "You guys ready to rock n' roll?"

"What about _moi_?" Antoine sniffled from a forgotten corner. "I, of courze, will be going to protect mah prin - aCHOO!"

Sonic opened his mouth to speak, but Bunnie stepped in first. "You best stay raht here and fight that cold, Sugah," she said, kind but firm. Antoine replied miserably with another sneeze.

* * *

In the depths of Robotropolis, a unit of SWATbots marched down a polluted thoroughfare as a hovercraft hummed above. When they had passed, the four Freedom Fighters peeked from behind the rounded base of a water tower.

Rotor glanced left and right. "Man, the place is crawling with bolt-brains!"

"I bet Buttnik knew we'd be back to save Red," Sonic flared. "We gotta hurry!"

The princess whipped out her computer. "Nicole, display the Megaboticizer schematic."

"Accessing, Sally," Nicole affirmed, and a hologram of a complicated map appeared before them.

Sally pointed at a small square on the projection. "The holding cell is not too far. It's our best shot!"

Suddenly, light poured over them when the huge portal of a nearby building screeched open. From the blinding haze, three shadows loomed, one of which was enormous.

"Something's coming!" warned Bunnie as footsteps clanged and rumbled.

Sally squinted up into the glare. "It can't be…"

Sonic's eyes shot wide in utter despair. "Red!"

The silhouette of the colossal figure had a fox's ears.


	3. Act 3

**ACT 3**

From the gloom of the immense shadow, Red's face materialized, metallic and blank but unmistakable.

The Freedom Fighters fled behind the water tower as the Megabot thundered past, the ground shaking beneath its massive feet. It towered over the normal-sized Roboticized wolf and jay preceding him.

"We're too late…" Sonic moaned, devastated.

"Oh mah stars," Bunnie breathed, looking sick. "Even for Robotnik, that's dreadful."

"He can't get away with this!" Rotor declared.

Shaken, Sally tried to compose herself. "We have to get to the plant's main computer. Come on!"

* * *

The four jogged around a corner in a large and dimly lit utility room. When they stopped at a large, round grate, Sally said, "This tunnel leads to a service stairway. The main computer is on the top level. Bunnie, would you - "

"Hold up, Sal." Sonic turned to the others, his expression dead serious. "SWAT-butts are going to be all over the place," he said. "Bunnie, Rote, you two should juice back to Knothole."

"Heck no, Sugah-hog!" Bunnie rejected.

"Yeah!" Rotor joined in, determined. "We're here to take down the Megaboticizer!"

"Sonic's right," Sally conceded. "It's too risky for all of us."

"They got Red. I can't lose you, too." Sonic's eyes pleaded with theirs.

The rabbit and the walrus exchanged a look. "Alright, Sonic," Rotor relented. Gravely, he held out the cartridge to Sally. "Give my regards to Robuttnik."

"We will," Sally promised, stowing it in the backpack and withdrawing the coil of rope.

"How 'bout I get the door for y'all?" offered Bunnie. With her robotic arm, she twisted and lifted the grate with ease.

Sonic revved up. "Be safe, guys." He sped into the tunnel, Sally not far behind.

"Good luck!" called Rotor, scanning the room cautiously.

* * *

Sonic and Sally reached the dizzying heights of the hydroelectric plant's top level and flattened against a piece of humming electronic equipment. SWATbot guards seemed to be lurking on every catwalk and balcony. Two were just around the corner.

"Ready for this, Sonic?" Sally asked in a hushed voice.

"Born ready," Sonic confirmed.

"Remember, after I start the override sequence, we'll only have 25 seconds - "

"- Before this junk heap is washed up. I'll cover for ya, Sal."

They fist bumped and said in unison, "Let's do it to it!"

Sonic circled behind the two SWATbots and skidded between them. "Yo chrome domes!" Sticking out his tongue and waggling his fingers on either side of his head, he taunted roguishly, "Bet you can't catch me!" He darted away, and the guards tore after him, singularly focused on "HEDGEHOG, PRIORITY ONE."

Sally ran out to peer over the guardrail. With a foot on its bottom rung, she spotted the main computer on a balcony across the plant's constructed ravine. Between her and her target, there was a catwalk with two more SWATbots. They turned toward the commotion and started shooting lasers toward her. She ducked back and spun her rope above her head like a lasso. When she cast it up, it looped securely around an overhead pipe.

Meanwhile, Sonic came to a dead end. "You metalheads really drive me up the wall," he called, effortlessly transitioning to running vertically. The SWATbots, however, skidded helplessly at the last second before smashing themselves to pieces on the concrete surface. Sonic veered sideways onto the adjacent wall then descended onto the catwalk. The guards firing up at Sally didn't see him coming before he stormed past and knocked them off.

The princess grasped the rope and leapt. She sailed across the chasm and landed gracefully on the main computer's balcony. From the green backpack she took out the cartridge and inserted it into a slot. Just as Rotor had programmed, a digital screen lit up with "025" in bright red. "Here it goes," she said under her breath as she pressed the left round button on the cartridge. A monotonous voice announced, "LOCK OVERRIDE SEQUENCE INITIATED." As it echoed in the cavernous hydroelectric plant, the screen began to beep as it counted down: 024, 023…

Zooming around the plant, Sonic had gathered a squad's worth of SWATbots trailing him. They cornered him in front of two massive metal doors, chanting "HEDGEHOG, PRIORITY ONE" and closing in menacingly. Out of the corner of his eye, Sonic saw a glimmer of gold up on a high balcony. He faced the robots and jibed, "You SWAT-butts really think you got me this time, huh?"

Sally hurled the Power Ring down to him, then swung off the balcony on the rope. "Well, I hate to break it to ya - " Sonic caught the Ring above his head, and the SWATbots flung up their arms to shield their mechanical eyes from the burst of energy. " - but your plan doesn't hold water." He spun into a spiky blue blur and dashed between them.

Right when the screen hit 000, a dissonant alarm sounded twice, and the lock's doors parted. The stored waters of the Great River gushed forth exuberantly like an animal set free. The SWATbots could barely react before the deluge swept them away.

Sonic sped through the plant with the cascade at his heels as equipment fried and sparked all around him. Sally swooped down on the rope and let go to land with kismet in Sonic's outstretched arms.

"We're almost to the Megaboticizer!" she shouted over the tumult.

"Then let's juice it loose!" he accelerated to breakneck speed, outpacing the rushing water. They tore out of the building moments before the torrent reached the overpowered electronics of the Megaboticizer itself. The ensuing chain reaction was a fittingly mega-sized explosion that annihilated the entire complex.

That same moment, the monitors in the control tower displayed the orange glow of the destruction. Dr. Robotnik seethed as he witnessed his precious monstrosity and dreams of a Megabot army go up in smoke. Even worse, that sabotaging rodent and his vermin princess once again escaped his clutches unscathed. In incoherent fury, he unleashed a terrifying roar and surged from his command chair. His shaking fists sent Cluck flying from the armrest. Snively cowered in a corner. As the entire power grid shorted, the lights flickered, then failed, casting the villain and his entire capital into darkness.

* * *

The mass power outage in Robotropolis was visible from Knothole, and a cheering crowd greeted Sonic and Sally upon their triumphant return. When the waters of the Great River came thundering back, all the Freedom Fighters celebrated on its bank. Rotor and Bunnie danced together. Tails surfed on his twin namesakes. Even Antoine, still jealous and sniffling, clapped begrudgingly.

A bit apart from the others, Sonic felt a disheartened pang despite the tremendous victory. "I wish Red could see this…" he murmured as he surveyed the joyous group.

Sally slid her arm through his. "You're a hero, Sonic." She kissed his cheek. "And so is Red. He fought for our freedom."

Sonic smiled and gave a thumbs up. "Yeah, and we'll keep fightin'!"


End file.
